


working up a sweat

by aserenitatum



Category: Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) (2020)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Dinah is an instructor, F/F, Gym AU, Helena is Helena, Sparks Fly, there will be smut, this is now a three-parter because i have poor planning skills, to the burps i simply say: i am sorry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-25
Updated: 2020-06-04
Packaged: 2021-03-03 02:55:42
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 16,126
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24377605
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aserenitatum/pseuds/aserenitatum
Summary: Dinah adjusts the bike for her and has Helena test it out, teaches her how to keep her feet on the pedals and runs through some vocabulary with her, all the while touching Helena — a hand on her back to get her to arch it, a tap on the knuckles so that she adjusts her fingers, fingers curled around her ankle when she shows her how to dip her heel when pedalling down.Helena feels like she's going to explode.
Relationships: Helena Bertinelli/Dinah Lance
Comments: 103
Kudos: 234





	1. Part One.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> inspired by a cursed burps conversation about the John Travolta/Jamie Lee Curtis aerobics scene in Perfect.  
> You don’t need to watch that, as a matter of fact, please don’t; it has nothing to do with this fic

It’s all Zinda’s fault. 

When the boxing gym she usually attends has to close down for renovations for a whole month, Helena almost goes crazy with all her pent up energy, the restlessness of no longer having an outlet turning her into the worst friend imaginable and it’s only after Barbara kicks her out for almost breaking a table after losing a game of Scrabble that she realises something has to give. 

Zinda says she knows just what Helena needs, drags her to a gym she’s never been to before, talking about “a different type of thrill” and Helena is apprehensive until she finds herself standing in a room full of spinning bikes, set up neatly in curved rows, all facing a small podium at the front, a few people milling about and having light-hearted conversations. 

Her shoulders slump and she shoots Zinda a look as if to say, “this is it?” 

“I think it’d be great for you!” Zinda defends immediately, tugging at the towel held in Helena’s hand and guiding her over to two bikes. 

“Spinning?” Helena says with a tinge of disbelief. “You think I’m going to burn off all my energy with spinning?” 

“This isn’t as easy as you’re making it out to be, y’know,” Zinda says as she punches Helena’s shoulder, face pulled into a frown that’s more amusement than annoyance. 

“How hard can it be?” Helena says, trying not to roll her eyes as she shakes her head, smug smile out in full force. “It’s just a bike.” 

“Harder than you think,” a voice says from behind them and all of Helena’s confidence melts away, replaced by warmth creeping up her neck at being caught out. 

She knows her cheeks are red, made even worse when she turns around with a guilty smile and meets dark ones, sparkling with mirth and a smile twisted a little dangerously. 

“Hello,” Helena says awkwardly. 

“Hi,” Zinda says, arm nudging Helena slightly to the side as she sticks out her hand for the instructor to shake. “I’m Zinda, this is Helena.” 

“Nice to meet you,” the woman says, smile softening as she takes Zinda’s hand and shakes it, before raking her gaze down Helena’s body. “I’m Dinah. Is this your first spin class?” 

“It is for H, but I’ve taken spinning classes before. It’s my first time here,” Zinda adds happily as Helena tries not to be absolutely mortified that she’d basically insulted the class to their instructor. 

“Do you need help setting up?” Dinah asks, her eyes firmly on Zinda even as Helena stands between them. 

“I think I’m alright but Helena could probably use some guidance.” 

Dinah may not pick up on Zinda’s teasing undercurrent but Helena knows her friend well enough to recognise it and she ends up glaring at Zinda for throwing her under the bus like this. 

Helena would prefer the ground open up and swallow her whole instead of having to face this seemingly very nice woman whose entire job she’s just insulted but apparently the universe has other plans for her today. 

“Helena, right?” she says, and the tentative touch on Helena’s elbow almost makes her jump. 

“Y—yes.” 

“Let’s get you set up.” 

Dinah figures out the height of the seat and handlebars and has Helena test them out, teaches her how to keep her feet on the pedals and runs through some vocabulary with her, all the while touching Helena, a hand on her back to get her to arch it, a tap on the knuckles so that she adjusts her fingers, fingers curled around her ankle when she shows her how to dip her heel when pedalling down and Helena thinks she’s going to explode. 

Her brain has already left her body — had when Dinah had first stepped up to them — but now her soul must have followed it too, along with her consciousness because for all the instructions Dinah gives her, once the woman steps away with a smile and a “Just pace yourself,” Helena can’t remember anything at all. 

She doesn’t even dare turn to Zinda, can feel the blonde’s eyes on her and can sense the manic smile on her face. 

“Shut up,” she grumbles as she settles, sitting up and crossing her arms and glaring straight ahead. 

“I didn’t say anything,” Zinda says and when Helena growls, she laughs, reaching out and flicking a lock of Helena’s hair. “You should tie this back.” 

Helena bats her hand away and ignores her advice, and then the lights dim as music starts playing, the last of the people milling about hopping onto their bikes and getting into position. 

Dinah’s voice is magnified by a microphone, the challenging tone almost like a tease, taunting the people in the class to do their best as the music picks up and she kicks them off. 

She’s dying by the end of the sixty-minute class, hair so sweaty it’s like she went for a run in a downpour, sticking to her forehead and neck and the rest of her body feels just as awful, her lungs burning and her legs sore so she doesn’t even have the energy to counter Zinda’s gloating. 

One of the worst things about being friends with Zinda is just how damn smug she can be. 

Helena knows that once in a while, she gets smug and maybe even enjoys being a smartass, but nothing compares to the absolute self-righteous, self- _satisfied_ air that Zinda picks up when she knows she’s in the right, and especially so when she can lord it over Helena’s head. 

“Hey,” Zinda says, poking her side and Helena feels her body crumple. “You alive?” 

She lets out a miserable whine, unsure of how to answer that honestly when her whole body feels like it’s been put through a woodchipper so she just flops forward, arms crossing over the handlebars of her stationary bike and dropping her head onto her arms, the sweat on her skin not even deterring her because her face is just as bad. 

Helena can faintly hear the sounds of the class leaving, bottles of water being chugged while shoes clack on the floor and the light, breathless chatter of the exhausted as they walk out. Even Zinda hops off the bike, poking her thigh this time and Helena feels her muscle twitch as an uncomfortable warmth shoots up her leg. 

She lets out another whimper that elicits a loud laugh from her friend and Helena would glare at her if she had any strength left in her body. 

“Hi ladies,” Dinah says, her voice a little low and a little raspy from spending the past hour encouraging everybody taking the class to do their best and push their hardest. “How did it go?” 

Her voice sounds honest enough that Helena knows she means it well and not smugly the way Zinda had, but shame still burns through her, exacerbated by the fact that she’d been so incredibly, woefully _wrong_. 

“I loved it,” Zinda says. 

“It wasn’t too hard?” Dinah asks and that’s definitely meant for Helena’s ears. 

“No, I paced myself just right.” 

Dinah lets out a soft laugh that washes over her like a soothing wave and finally makes Helena lift her head, heavily relying on her arms to push her upper body into a more vertical stance so she can offer Dinah a weak smile. 

“I’m guessing that means you didn’t,” she says, trying to hide a smile and for the first time, Helena notices the endearing dimples in her cheeks and how they deepen as Dinah tries harder to suppress her laugh. 

“No,” she murmurs. 

“Did you have a little fun, at least?” Dinah asks, trying to catch her gaze and Helena nods as she meets those dark eyes. “Good, it’d be a shame to scare you off after just one class.” 

“I don’t scare that easily,” Helena responds immediately, confirming that her brain has left her because she’s not sure where that came from but out of the corner of her eye, she can see Zinda light up at her words, smile blinding and eyes so wide and manic. 

Dinah’s head tilts slightly to the side as if she’s sizing up Helena again, and her smile only flickers for a beat before twisting coyly. “That’s good information to have.” 

Helena doesn’t know what to say in response to that so she keeps her mouth shut, keeps her eyes on Dinah, and keeps her head held high to prevent her body from collapsing in a heap of ache. 

Zinda clears her throat and Dinah’s eyes snap away, to the blonde, as her smile softens. 

“It was nice meeting you,” she says politely. “I’m glad you enjoyed the class.” 

“Same here, it was great. We’ll definitely see you again.” 

Dinah seems buoyed by Zinda’s encouraging words as she steps away with a final glance thrown Helena’s way, and any bluster that had held her up in the face of the instructor dissipates and Helena feels her body slump again. 

“Oh whoah, no way,” Zinda says, stepping closer and almost yanking Helena off the bike. “You can’t die in here, at least take a shower.” 

“Can I die in the shower?” Helena moans. 

“Sure.” 

* * *

Helena had been so blinded by her embarrassment, and then later her exhaustion, that she hadn’t initially noticed just how attractive Dinah Lance really is and when she sees her for the second time, milling about the gym in workout leggings and a sports bra, she wonders how she could possibly have been so blind. 

Zinda had been absolutely relentless after their first spin class, texting a picture of Helena sprawled on their couch looking miserable to their group chat, leading to more mockery and only barely a concern for her health from their friends. 

Zinda had told their friends about her loud confidence that a spinning class couldn’t possibly be more fitness intensive than her usual workout routine only for it to damn near kill her, so Helena knows she’s brought all the taunting upon herself, but all the jokes had only sparked her competitive flame more, making her want to be better at this and so a week later, _without_ Zinda, she’s found herself back at the gym, crossing the short hallway to the changing rooms and ignoring the curve of Dinah’s legs as she leans against the welcome desk while talking to the receptionist. 

She changes into her new pair of workout pants, specially padded to help with the soreness from the bike that had given her trouble with sitting for three days after the class, and tugs her clean workout top over her head, grabbing her towel and bottle of water and leaving the changing room to try and sneak into the spin class unnoticed. 

She knows she fails the moment she steps into the room and Dinah looks up from where she’s chatting with one of the really fit women who take up the front row, just curious as to who the newcomer is and smiling when she recognises Helena. 

She says something to the woman before breaking away and she meets Helena at the only free bike in the room, smile widening even before Helena has locked her bottle of water into place or flung her towel over the handlebars. 

“No friend today?” she asks but barely pretends to look around for Zinda and Helena just shakes her head as she adjusts the seat. 

“She had a thing.” She smiles when she hears the seat click into place and then briefly levels a suspicious look at Dinah. “Are you sad it’s just me today?” 

Dinah lets out a puff of laughter that draws Helena’s eyes to her mouth. 

“No, I’m just surprised to see _you_ ,” she says and Helena doesn’t know what her face does in response but it’s something because Dinah laughs again. “I didn’t think you’d ever come back.” 

“I had fun,” Helena says with a shrug because despite the awful way she’d felt after, she really had enjoyed the class. Dinah was encouraging and tough but somehow still calming with her instructions and her music choices were perfect for getting your blood pumping and the adrenaline flowing. 

It doesn’t help that everybody’s jabs at her lack of endurance while spinning had made her want to be good at this too, and Helena knows that she shouldn’t have taken it as such but spinning was a new type of challenge — one she intends to conquer. 

“You gonna pace yourself a little bit today?” Dinah says with a smile and Helena feels a laugh bubble up from her chest. “Maybe make it to the end of the class not looking like I need to call an ambulance for you?” 

She rolls her eyes but accepts the tease, cheeks flushing a little bit at the reminder of her cocky attitude from the week before. 

“I’m gonna try,” she says and that’s the best she can offer but Dinah takes it with a wide smile. “No 911 calls today.” 

“Great,” she says with a laugh, and she shakes her head softly as she finally looks away to the clock hanging over the doorway and signalling the start of the hour. Her arm reaches out before Helena even notices, lightly smacking Helena’s upper arm twice as her chin juts towards the bike. “Get your butt in that seat and let’s go.” 

Dinah turns away to move to the front of the class as Helena hops on, settling easily now that her body knows how this works, and Dinah’s voice is encouraging and a little playful when she puts on the headset microphone and dims the lights. 

Despite Helena’s promise, once the hour is over, she can feel the redness of her skin and her hair is soaked with sweat even though she tied it back into a ponytail after the warm-up, but her body doesn’t feel like it’s going to crumble at the first wrong move and that’s an improvement, at least. It’s not where she’d wanted to be, but it’s something, and Dinah says as much when she strolls up to Helena after the class, her thin nose ring glinting in the light and catching Helena’s attention as she smiles. 

“How’d that go?” she asks and Helena wants to glare at her because it’s obvious how terribly she’s doing, so instead she just narrows her eyes, and Dinah laughs again. 

“I thought I’d be better at this,” she grumbles. 

“It’s only your second class, Helena,” she says, voice soft and soothing. “You have to give it time.” 

Helena feels so petulant when she lets out another soft grumble but Dinah isn’t deterred by it, dimples flashing as she shifts on her legs to cross one ankle behind the other, drawing Helena’s attention to her perfect legs. 

“You look fit enough—” 

“Enough?” Helena interrupts, eyes snapping back to Dinah’s. 

She holds up her hands innocently, eyes twinkling. “You aren’t out of shape at all, is what I’m sayin’.” 

“I’m not.” 

“I know, I can see that,” Dinah says as her eyes trail down Helena’s toned arms and then to her middle where her crop top doesn’t quite meet the top of her new pants and leaves her abs exposed. “What do you do?” 

“Hm?” Helena says, having been so distracted by Dinah’s scrutiny that she’d halfway forgotten what they were talking about. 

“What’s your workout routine?” 

“Oh, just, y’know,” she stumbles, gesturing vaguely and wondering where her sudden modesty comes from. “Endurance, calisthenics, weights.” 

“Oh,” Dinah says, brow twitching as she nods and the surprise is what prompts Helena to ask more. 

“What?” 

“Nothing,” Dinah says, trying to brush it off but Helena slides off the bike — with a bit more ease than the week before — so that there isn’t such a large height difference between them anymore and asks again. “It’s just that you’re… I know your type.” 

“My _type_?” 

“Not in a bad way!” Dinah is quick to defend. “A gym sees different types of people.” 

“Like?” 

“Like… moms with children under the age of ten who want to be healthy but don’t have a lot of time to invest in personal fitness, or young teenage boys trying out weightlifting for the first time in their lives to impress a girl at school, or—” Dinah gestures to Helena. “—women who are clearly in the peak of health with a very rigid discipline probably from being a young athlete who are trying out new things.” 

Helena just blinks at the perfect assessment. 

“I was a crossbow champion,” she finally admits and the feeling that she’s as see-through as a glass window is lessened by the proud curve of Dinah’s smile. “And then I went into fighting.” 

Dinah nods slowly, taking in the information. 

“So, you were right,” Helena gives and Dinah shoots her a proud little smile before her shoulders drop with a soft laugh. 

“How long did it take you to get good at archery?” 

“I’ve always been good at it.” 

Dinah rolls her eyes. “How long did it take you to get good at fighting?” 

“A year.” 

“And you thought you could walk into my class for the second time and be good?” Dinah teases and Helena suddenly understands the seemingly random questions asked and she lets out an awkward little laugh, looking down as she tries to cover up her lack of awareness. “Not that easy, is it?” Dinah whispers and Helena feels her whole chest and neck warm with a blush as she closes her eyes briefly. 

“I never meant to insult—” 

“I know,” Dinah cuts off before she can get too far. “I’m just teasing you. You’re very cute when you blush.” 

Helena’s eyes snap open to meet Dinah’s amused ones, the blush definitely painting her cheeks red and Helena doesn’t even try to come up with a response because she knows she won’t be able to string together a sentence without stopping and stuttering. 

“I’m guessing you’re gonna come back again?” Dinah finally says after watching Helena for a while. 

“Yes,” she says with a single, sharp nod, resolve weakening when Dinah shoots her a blinding smile. 

“Then I will see you next time.” 

* * *

“You’re getting better at this,” Dinah drawls softly and Helena can recognise the tease simmering under her words even without having to look at the woman. 

Still, Dinah’s always a sight so she takes a ragged breath and opens her eyes, lips already turning up when she sees Dinah’s bright smile. 

“It doesn’t feel like it,” she manages through her stilted breathing. 

“You are. Your post-class colour dropped from firefighter red to a peach pink so…” 

Helena tries glaring at her but Dinah’s smile doesn’t budge and she’s too exhausted from the workout to keep up the pretence. When she hops from the bike, she doesn’t feel like collapsing to the ground so maybe Dinah _is_ right about her improvement but she’s still irrationally annoyed that her apparent peak fitness is no match for an hour on a stationary bike. 

A _bike_ , for god’s sake. 

“How come you never—” Helena starts to say, cutting herself off when she sees that Dinah’s eyes are glued to her abs, her own breathing a little heavy and the attention makes an entirely different type of heat spark down Helena’s spine. 

“Hm?” Dinah hums, eyes dragging away from Helena’s middle and travelling up her body to meet knowing dark eyes. “What?” 

Helena considers changing the topic, switching to something safer than calling out her instructor for something she knows nothing about, something that probably has a perfectly reasonable explanation. 

“It’s okay,” Dinah encourages but even that doesn’t really set Helena at ease, too afraid of ruining the laid-back nature of their interactions over these past few weeks. 

Dinah waits her out, warm brown eyes staring up at Helena, not judgmental or expectant, just with that endeared patience that she’d had the first time she’d helped Helena with the bike. 

“You never actually participate,” Helena says softly, not sure how else to phrase her question and opting to gesture to the stationary bike set up at the front of the spinning room on a little platform. 

The main speaker set-up is there and Helena has seen Dinah mess with the sound system to hook her phone up to it and she’ll occasionally stand in front of the elevated bike to encourage them and get a good look around the room, but Helena has never actually seen her on the saddle. 

Dinah follows the line of her arm, her shoulders softening when she understands what Helena’s asking. 

“I teach four classes a day,” she explains with a quiet laugh. “If I did the full four hours on a bike, five days a week, my body would shut down after a week, max.” 

“I don’t think anybody wants that,” Helena says, the words slipping out like second nature and Dinah’s smile twists. 

“No?” she asks lowly. “What are you saying, Helena?” 

“Just that—you don’t—your body, I… it’s, you’re perfect.” Helena looks away, shoulders dropping as she glances up at the heavens, sending a quick prayer to God to ask, once again, for the ground to open up and take her to the abyss, but mid-plea she hears a low, warm laugh and another call of her name in that breathy voice. 

“You’re better at this than you think,” Dinah says when she finally musters up the courage to look at her, and even then she can’t bear to look at Dinah’s eyes, her gaze skittering all over the place, the playful arch of her brow, her hairline, taking in the row of piercings traveling down the shell of Dinah’s ear, the thin ring in her nose, down to full lips and lingering. 

“Yeah?” she manages. 

“Mhm-hm,” Dinah hums with a soft nod and a deep breath that draws Helena’s eyes even lower. “You should come to an evening class sometime.” 

Helena tries to tear her eyes away but Dinah’s breaths are slow and deep and every time she inhales, the fabric stretches over her chest and Helena’s sure she’s getting back to the redness Dinah said she’d moved past. 

“Why an evening class?” she chokes out, dragging her eyes away from the cleavage on display with great difficulty, rewarded by the sight of Dinah’s tongue wetting her lips and eyes firmly on Helena’s neck. 

“That’s when I work out with the class,” Dinah finally answers as she snaps herself out of her own ogling, swallowing thickly as her eyes rove upwards and finally meet Helena’s again. “Just in case you thought I was an instructor in name only.” 

“I don’t,” Helena says immediately with a furrow of her brow, worried that she might have implied that at any point but Dinah just waves away her concern. 

“Again—” she starts, leaning in close and it’s unfair how good she smells, something musky and fresh that makes Helena wonder what she’d smell like after an hour on the bike. “—just teasing.” 

Helena stutters out a breath but connects all the dots just in time to level Dinah with a retort of her own. 

“I thought you were trying to avoid a 911 call?” 

Dinah tuts lowly, shakes her head with a sad expression that only briefly confuses Helena — until she sees those inviting lips twitch. 

“If that’s enough to lay you out…” She clears her throat and barely has to reach out, the distance between them practically nonexistent, and the tips of her fingers brush over Helena’s top where it drapes over her collarbones, sweeping something away, touch light and barely there but enough to send a shiver down her spine. 

“I never said that,” she says and then decides that if Dinah’s going to use dirty tricks, two can play this game. Before Dinah can retract her hand she reaches up and curls her fingers around the woman’s forearm, twisting just enough and turning her head so that she can look at the digital watch on her wrist. 

Dinah’s breath hitches and Helena can feel the air shift around them. 

“Oh,” she exclaims, voice purposefully flat to give away just how unsurprised she is by the hour. “Look at the time, I’ve gotta go.” 

She holds on for far longer than needed and Dinah doesn’t pull her arm free from the loose grip, just keeps her eyes firmly on Helena, and when she looks away from the watch to see the full response to her actions, she almost drowns in Dinah’s eyes, dark and full of danger. 

“I’ll see you next time,” Dinah says and there’s a rasp to her voice that makes Helena wonder what it would sound like screaming her name. 

“Maybe at an evening class,” she throws back and Dinah’s lips curve with delight. 

“You should sign up early. Evening classes fill up quickly,” Dinah says, swaying forwards again to speak in her low cadence. “You’re not the only one who enjoys seeing me on the bike.” 

Helena’s brain stutters to a stop then and it must show on her face because Dinah lets out a soft chuckle as she steps away and glances at her own watch. 

“You had someplace to be?” 

“Yeah, I—yeah,” Helena stutters out, all of her confidence and boldness seeping away as some of her competitiveness rises again, this time less about the spinning class and more to do with Dinah’s teasing smile. “See you next time.” 

“Bye.” 

* * *

Much to Helena’s chagrin, it takes almost two weeks for her to make it to an evening class because true to Dinah’s word, the late class fills up quickly and Helena always just misses out on reserving the last bike. 

She keeps showing up to the morning class and their flirtation increases after every session and true to Dinah’s previously encouraging words, Helena does notice herself getting better at spinning. 

She’s finally victorious one Thursday afternoon, smiling down at the gym app when she receives confirmation that she’s signed up for the late class and her spirits are lifted all day up until she’s faced with her bike, grunting as she tries to set it for her height, the saddle stuck on a far too high setting and her impatient and disgruntled sounds must attract Dinah’s attention because Helena’s still crouched down when she sees the familiar black shoes with gold laces stop next to her. 

“Need some help?” she offers and Helena looks up at her, this vantage point making her mouth go dry as Dinah looms over her with a professional smile and twinkling eyes. 

“I can’t get this unstuck,” she says, rising to her feet until she’s safely at eye level again but it doesn’t stay that way for long as Dinah bends down to try and loosen the slightly rusty pin preventing Helena from adjusting the seat. 

“This one’s always been a little tricky,” she says, sweeping her hair over her shoulder. 

“I thought I could just force it, but…” Helena tries to say, feeling a little useless as she watches Dinah drop to a crouch and fiddle with it. 

“No,” Dinah says with a quick smirk over her shoulder at Helena. “Your muscles aren’t gonna work here.” 

She shoots her a wink and Helena feels a flush bloom from her chest but Dinah’s already turned back, one hand on the seat holding it in place as she nudges the pin downwards, twisting it slightly and then yanking at it. 

The pin snaps free but Dinah’s squatting down and the sudden lack of counterforce sends her sprawling backwards, towards the floor and were it not for Helena’s quick reflexes, Dinah’s head would have connected painfully with the bike behind her. Helena’s hands are wrapped tightly around her waist and she hauls Dinah into a standing position before either of them knows what’s happening, instincts kicking in and bringing her to safety. 

Dinah’s skin is as hot as a furnace under her touch but for some reason Helena can’t let go of her, fingers almost settling and she can feel Dinah’s deep breaths under her palms, firm abdominal muscles tensing and releasing with the shock and adrenaline of the moment. 

“You okay?” Helena asks, clearing her throat to rid if of some hoarseness. 

“Yeah, thanks for—” Dinah swallows thickly, words dying on her lips and when she nods, there’s a tremble to her body that gives Helena pause. “Thanks.” 

Helena has never experienced her so off-kilter and there’s a brief moment where she thinks it’s from the shock of nearly falling, but only for a second, because then Dinah twists in her grip and those usually teasing eyes drop to Helena’s lips, and Helena understands exactly what’s going on. 

She’s not sure how much time passes because it feels like a lifetime as she watches Dinah sway a little closer, watches those perfect lips part just enough to feel the next exhale wash over her skin, feels goosebumps erupt over her arms even as she shifts her hand to hold Dinah more tightly, body warm and pliable, curving into her. 

She’s about to lean in when the bubble bursts, a conversation between a few women breaking into their tense moment as the group steps into the spinning room, and the sounds of their chatter, and the low music coming from the main area of the gym, and the sound of weights hitting the mat, and the hum of the air conditioning all come rushing back into Helena’s ears, deafening the sound of Dinah’s heavy breathing. 

“Thank you, for—” Dinah says, voice raspy as she steps away and they both frown when Helena pulls back her hands and keeps them by her side, fingers curling into fists to fight the almost tangible loss. 

“No problem,” Helena says with a jerky nod. “Thank you for helping me.” 

Somebody calls out to Dinah and she glances away from Helena to find the source of the voice, plastering on a smile as she does. “I have to—” 

“Yeah, uh—yes.” 

Helena stands there long after Dinah leaves to go attend to whatever the person calling for her needs and she has to mentally kick herself to move again, to finish adjusting the seat on the bike and get onto it. 

All throughout the class she tries not to look at Dinah, afraid her red cheeks will give her away but unable to keep her gaze from straying. She’d come to the evening class specifically to see what it’d be like to have Dinah join in for the workout, and she’s drawn in by the strain of Dinah’s voice as she encourages and taunts them into exercising just past what they think their limit is, her voice shaky at times from the workout, and sweat beading along her skin while she looks like a hand-sculpted goddess in a sports bra and tight leggings. 

Helena’s not a coward but when the class ends, she practically flies out of the room to go take a very long, very _cold_ shower. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks for reading and let me know what you think!
> 
> (part 2 should be up in a few days, and the rating _will_ change)


	2. Part Two.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay. so. I know what I said.  
> but a few days turned into more days and I started overthinking and overwriting and the chapter 2 document turned into 10k so I decided to split it up (so the fic will now have 3 parts — but rest assured the wait won't be as long bc chapter 3 is as good as done)
> 
> enjoy!

It’s all Diana’s fault. 

When Helena first steps into her class, Dinah notices her mostly because she’s new and tall and stands out and the instructor in her kicks in and starts running through the welcome speech-slash-explanation. It’s not until she’s closer that she hears the misplaced derision for spinning, and _then_ it becomes a fun challenge. Dinah had been planning a new playlist that day but at Helena’s words, she’d decided to switch to an old familiar — one of the toughest workouts she has; the kind that makes even the regulars weep and have to push their bodies to limit. 

After fifty-five minutes on the bike Helena looks like she’s going to pass out, which is not a surprise in the least, but what _is_ a surprise is that she keeps showing up. Dinah is used to first-timers abandoning the class after a rough first class and considering she’d put Helena through the ringer, she’d anticipated a similar result. 

Something about her resilience and determination is strangely attractive and it’s what keeps drawing Dinah over to Helena, before classes or after, to have short conversations often filled with innuendo. She knows Helena checks her out, those dark, wandering eyes hard to miss as they sweep down her form like a caress, and she doesn’t feel guilty returning the favour, often lingering on the outline of muscle on Helena’s arms or the firm abs always peeking out from her loose, cropped tops, almost as if taunting Dinah’s eyes to the pale skin. 

And then one day she gets to experience it, the strong arm around her waist and the feeling of those abs pressed against her own and for a minute Dinah forgets where she is and all she can see is Helena, the concerned furrow of her brow eclipsed by the flutter of her eyelashes and the desire in her eyes, the way she licks her lips and has to drag her eyes away from Dinah’s mouth. She’s all warm and solid and Dinah’s already feeling disarmed by the way Helena had effortlessly hoisted her to her feet, as if she weighs nothing more than a feather, but Helena looks at her with unbridled eyes and Dinah’s ready to drag her into a shower cubicle to have her way with her. 

She hates that she has to step away, suddenly hating her job more than anything else in the world, and Dinah tries not to stutter or make the moment awkward as they part, but Helena’s cheeks are bright red when she steps away and Dinah tries not to take it too personally when Helena practically runs out after class ends. 

* * *

“Hey, it’s Helena, right?” 

Dinah’s head snaps up at the words, recognising the low, lilting voice and she immediately feels on edge. 

Ever since that evening class, Helena has been showing up with barely enough time to adjust her bike, often when Dinah is already done talking to any people who have questions and has set up in the front and is wearing her headset, and sometimes she shows up even later and ends up missing a part of the warm-up song. 

Dinah has considered talking to her about it, broaching it from a professional angle and saying that she can’t allow Helena to show up just in the nick of time because setting up during class is distracting to her and disrespectful to the other people taking the class, but it’s not as if she can get a minute alone with Helena because she’s very obviously avoiding any interaction with Dinah, keeping her head down during class and bolting as soon as the last song ends. 

“Yeah, that’s me,” Helena says, snapping Dinah out of her thoughts and when she smiles, Dinah feels adoration and jealousy coil together and settle in her gut. 

“I’m Diana,” the woman introduces herself and it takes all of Dinah’s willpower not to roll her eyes at the obvious come on. She turns around and pretends to fiddle with the sound system, happy that she hadn’t raised the volume just yet to aid her eavesdropping. “Sometimes after the evening class a few of us like to stick around and have a coffee,” Diana continues and Dinah can perfectly picture the way the tall brunette must be smiling, leaning forward to draw up a sense of friendly intimacy. “You should join us today.” 

“Oh, uh—” 

The wall behind the little podium has floor to ceiling mirrors so Dinah can’t grin at the stumble, knows that Diana has also noticed how quickly Helena has been leaving class and has effectively trapped her in a situation that won’t be easy to get out of without seeming either rude or insecure. 

Dinah shifts onto her other leg, giving her just a sliver of space to look at Helena through the mirror and freezing when she finds the woman’s eyes already on her. 

“I, uhm…” 

Helena’s gaze skitters between Dinah and Diana, the conflict clear on her face so Dinah makes the decision for her, turning around and facing the class, making sure her headset is off before addressing the group. 

“Is everybody ready?” She tries for a wide, genuine smile, tries to muster up the excitement she usually feels during the last class, getting the chance to relieve all her pent up stressors from the day during this session but she can’t keep her eyes from straying to Helena and she can feel her smile crack. 

“So—yes?” Diana asks, ignoring both Dinah and one of her friends calling her back to her bike and when Helena looks at her worriedly, Dinah only arches an eyebrow because she knows that Diana’s not going to take no for an answer. 

“Sure,” she says slowly, head turning towards the woman in front of her but keeping her eyes on Dinah. 

“Perfect,” Diana says before gliding back to her spot, easily hopping onto the saddle and clipping her shoes in. Once she’s settled she looks up at Dinah, who hates how much she’s glancing between the two brunettes but can’t find it in herself to stop, gaze only pausing when Diana shoots her a wink and a shit-eating grin. 

Mala, one of the Amazons who often comes in with Diana to work out in the evenings, steps up to Helena’s bike just as the session ends, introducing herself before Helena even has a chance to second-guess her earlier acceptance of invitation and as she leads the woman out of the room, Dinah turns her suspicious look onto Diana. 

“What?” the woman says, trying for an innocent look as she shrugs her shoulders but Dinah can see right through her. 

“What are you doing?” she hisses lowly, glancing around the room to make sure nobody’s paying attention to them. 

“What? I can’t flirt a little bit with the tall, dark, sexy woman?” Diana says as she gestures to the doorway and there’s that spark of jealousy again, flaring up inside her chest and barely calming when Diana takes one look at Dinah’s expression and laughs, waving away her glare. “I’m helping you.” 

“I don’t need help.” 

Diana hums her disagreement but doesn’t say anything else, eyes pinning Dinah with a knowing look before she grabs her things and leaves the room to go join the other women. 

There’s a coffee machine set up just off the side of the gym entrance, a small space with two leather couches that people enjoy collapsing onto after a particularly intense class, or in the case of the Amazons, enjoy draping their lithe bodies on and exchanging idle chit chat. 

By the time Dinah is finished clearing up the spinning room, talking to any stragglers and making sure any stray equipment is back in its place, the slight edge of annoyance she’d felt has calmed, the routine of it all soothing and after flipping off the light switch and locking the door behind her, she’s barely taken three steps towards the reception desk opposite the little coffee corner before she hears Diana call out to her. 

“Dinah? We’re out of peppermint, what would you like instead?” 

She turns to the group in time to see Helena’s head snap up so quickly that her whole body moves with the motion and as a result, some of the liquid in the cup held between her hands sloshes over the rim and drips onto her fingers. 

Helena lets out a small curse that Dinah doesn’t hear, but she does get to see Helena transfer the weight of the cup to the mostly dry hand and lift the other one to her mouth, almost distractedly sticking two fingers in her mouth to clean them off and all of the tension from before comes crashing back into Dinah’s body, heat pooling between her legs as she imagines what it would be like if those were her own fingers in Helena’s mouth, and Diana has to clear her throat to get her attention, snapping Dinah out of the moment. 

“We have some in the back,” she manages, throat a little dry. “I’ll—go get some.” 

Diana lets out a knowing hum that Dinah pointedly ignores as she turns on her heel and heads to the supply closet, the door slamming shut as she leans her full weight back against it, head falling back with a muted thud as she lets out a long, ragged breath. 

She’s been so caught up the past few weeks with her annoyance that it had overshadowed her attraction to Helena. She’s always been good at compartmentalising, and favouring her dislike for Helena’s apparent cowardice had been much easier than allowing her hunger to flourish and notice all the things that had drawn her to Helena in the first place, but apparently any barriers she’d put up had been effectively null and void as soon as she’d stepped out of the spinning room and was faced with a more relaxed Helena. 

Dinah tries to shake it off, tries to ignore her body’s craving as she finally opens her eyes and stalks forward, finding the shelf where they keep all the supplies for the coffee corner and produces an unopened box of peppermint tea. The box is a little crushed when she finally makes it back to the coffee corner but Diana is no longer at the machine so Dinah busies herself with getting her own cup of hot water for her tea, grateful that the woman’s not there to point out the obvious signs of Dinah’s thirst. 

Dinah turns around with her tea and is honestly surprised to see Helena still there, shock lessening when she sees that she’s flanked on both sides keeping her trapped, Mala to her left and Diana to her right but Helena doesn’t seem to mind and when she says something, both of the women laugh and Diana even throws her head back, clearly exaggerating some of her amusement. 

Diana’s eyes land on Dinah at the same time she drops her hand to Helena’s thigh, and Diana’s smile turns a little teasing when she notices Dinah’s eyes zero in on the touch. 

Diana asks Helena something that Dinah doesn’t even hear, watching the way the light bends over the shiny dry-fit fabric of Helena’s workout pants as Diana’s fingers press a little into her thigh before smoothing out, as if she doesn’t even think about the movement of her hand while talking to Helena but Dinah knows that it’s all deliberate. 

“Oh, martial arts!” Diana exclaims, eyes wide and excited and Dinah watches as Helena just nods, a little taken aback by the response. “Our Dinah used to fight!” 

All the attention is suddenly on her and Dinah doesn’t even try to pretend she hadn’t been just standing there watching and listening to them, especially when Helena doesn’t seem the least bit startled by her proximity — a stark difference from the way she’s been acting every time Dinah had come near her the past few weeks. 

They stare at each other for a while, Helena’s eyes slowly trailing down Dinah’s body, open and unabashed, the way she used to and Dinah just lets her, only arching an eyebrow pointedly when Helena’s eyes meet hers again and enjoying the light blush she gets in response. 

Diana seems woefully unaware, or is blissfully ignoring, the tension between the two women as she shifts even closer to Helena, lifting her hand from her thigh and throwing it over the back of the couch, just behind Helena’s shoulders and Dinah finally breaks away from Helena’s dark, curious eyes, her own narrowing at Diana’s new proximity. 

“Join us, Dinah,” she says in her melodic voice, accent making it lilt playfully as she drags her fingers along Mala’s shoulder and shoots her a look. 

The blonde woman just nods and stands up, freeing the spot for Dinah to take but she doesn’t immediately step closer, eyeing the limited space on the couch warily. 

Diana leans over Helena and pats the empty space and before she even says “sit,” Dinah’s already moving closer, seeing red at how much of Diana is touching Helena. 

Helena clears her throat when Diana leans back, turning to Dinah with a small, shy smile. 

“You never told me you knew how to fight,” she says, eyes flickering down to where their thighs are pressed together, a necessity borne of proximity and lack of couch space. 

“I don’t,” she replies, lifting her cup for a sip and watching Helena over the rim. “Not really.” 

“Dinah is just being humble,” Diana says, her voice playful as she leans into Helena, as if the words are meant to be a secret shared between the two of them and Dinah takes note of the way Helena’s blush travels to the very tips of her ears, going bright red in a way that would make Dinah worried if she weren’t feeling so petty. 

“She’s one of the best fighters I’ve ever met,” Diana continues. “Sparring with her, well…” 

Diana trails off and puts on her most wistful smile and Dinah would roll her eyes if she weren’t so damn impressed by Diana’s acting skills. 

“You fight too?” Helena asks. 

“Oh no,” Diana says with a long sigh, waving away the question. “I’m a lover, not a fighter.” 

It takes Helena a beat to process and connect the words but when she does, Dinah is treated to the sight of a completely flabbergasted Helena, mouth dropping open as she tries no less than four times to come up with a response, failing each time and it’s Diana’s sweet, light laugh that finally puts her out of her misery. 

“Anyhow,” Diana blazes on, apparently dead-set on achieving her goal tonight. “You know what would be fun? A sparring session.” 

“Diana…” she tries to warn lowly, shaking her head softly, worried that if the woman pushes too hard, Helena will bolt and retreat even harder, maybe even quit the gym altogether and that’s the absolute opposite of what she wants and if that happens she genuinely might strangle Diana, Amazons and gym membership be damned. 

“What do you say, Helena?” 

“With… you?” Helena asks, confused all over again by the request and trying to reconcile the words with Diana’s earlier statement. 

“No,” Diana says with another lilting laugh. “With Dinah, of course.” 

“Oh.” 

The flush spreads all the way to Helena’s shoulders this time and Dinah finds herself wondering what it would feel like beneath her fingers. 

Helena doesn’t say anything else in response and when Dinah reluctantly looks away from the line of Helena’s jaw, she finds Diana’s knowing eyes on her, challenging her to take the bait but she just shakes her head. 

“Diana, don’t be ridiculous,” she scoffs, faking it just as well as Diana. “I wouldn’t want to waste Helena’s time like that.” 

That elicits a strong reaction from Helena, her head lifting immediately, brow furrowed and mouth opening to clearly counter the statement but before she can say anything, a voice cuts into their bubble. 

“Ladies, I’m gonna have to kick you all out again.” 

“Aw, Hal,” Diana coos as she looks up at the man with a slight pout. “And we were just getting to know a new friend.” 

“You know the rules, princess,” he teases and Diana rolls her eyes good-naturedly. “Ten PM. Closing time.” 

Not that Dinah doesn’t believe her co-worker, but she glances at the clock hanging at the other end of the gym and is surprised to see that it’s indeed closing time, shocked by how quickly the half hour had passed as she’d sat there with Helena and Diana. 

“Alright, alright,” Diana says, holding her hands up innocently as she rises from the couch and all the other women with her get up as well, gathering their things. Mala hands Diana her coat and gym bag and Dinah wonders when they’d gone to the changing rooms to fetch their belongings but doesn’t linger on the thought because Diana turns to her as she zips up a jacket over her thin workout tank and slings the strap of her bag over her shoulder. “See you tomorrow, Dinah?” 

“Of course,” she answers and ignores Diana’s subtle glances for her to talk to Helena. 

On one of her glances, Helena lifts her head and meets Diana’s gaze and she corrects course instantly, plastering on an innocent smile. “Will we be seeing you again?” 

“Oh,” Helena stutters out, surprised by the callout and Dinah doesn’t even try to hide her smirk. “Yeah— _yes_.” 

“Great!” Diana says, dropping her voice low and brushing the tips of her fingers along Helena’s bicep, causing Helena to jump slightly and Dinah to feel red hot heat coil in her chest. “I would love to get to know you better.” 

Helena doesn’t say anything, just stares up at Diana in stunned silence so the woman just throws her a wink and then she’s gone, striding away with a final cheery goodbye thrown over her shoulder at Dinah, the Amazons following in her wake and the little coffee corner is suddenly deserted save for Dinah and Helena. 

Helena doesn’t move, doesn’t make to get up or even shift away now that there’s ample space on the couch, and Dinah can’t bear to look at her because she knows Helena’s eyes are already on her, can feel the gaze like a heavy cloak over her body and she knows that if she meets Helena’s eyes, their proximity is going to make her do something rash. 

Instead, she hops up and looks around the area wildly. 

“Hey Hal?” she calls out, stepping away from the heady air surrounding her and Helena and taking a deep breath of fresh air. “You in a rush to leave today?” 

“When am I not?” he says with a laugh, tossing the bunch of keys needed for the gym’s building up in the air and catching it in his palm, a few times over and over as he glances around the area to take stock of the few people still milling about. “Carol gets off work in twenty.” 

Dinah smiles at the mention of his girlfriend and joins him at the reception desk, leaning over the raised counter from the visitors’ side to reach into her halfway zipped gym bag and pull out her own set of keys. 

“I got you,” Dinah says, jangling her keys in his line of sight to get his attention and the tired curve of his spine disappears, a smile taking over his features. 

“Yeah?” he asks as if not wanting to believe it. “It won’t get me in trouble with the boss?” 

Dinah rolls her eyes even as a smile spreads across her face. “He won’t care. Get lost.” 

Hal praises her to high heaven and immediately grabs his bag, nearly running out of the gym, probably afraid that Dinah is going to change her mind but it just makes her laugh harder. A few people go out along with him and when Dinah stands on her toes to glance around the main open areas of the gym, she can’t see any more people and decides to lock the front before going to check out all the workout rooms and make sure they’re empty. 

Dinah knows that Helena is still inside, would not have been able to miss her leaving, but she tries to buy herself as much time as possible, checking out every room possible, including the men’s changing room, before turning towards the women’s. She pauses just outside the door, trying to gather up some courage to face Helena after whatever the hell that whole thing was. 

Her hand reaches out to push the door open but before her palm makes contact with the heavy wood, the door swings away from her, opening as Helena steps through the doorway, mind clearly somewhere else and coming to an abrupt stop when Dinah’s hand makes contact with her chest. 

“Uhm—” 

Dinah feels like an absolute moron for how long it takes her to realise she literally has her hand on Helena’s chest and she can feel her cheeks warm as she yanks her hand back, crossing her hands behind her back to prevent herself from doing it again. 

“I’m so sorry,” she stutters out. “I went to open the door, and—” 

“Oh,” Helena says, stunned face mellowing into confusion and… _disappointment?_ “Okay.” 

“Did you think I was—?” Her cheeks warm even more and Dinah lets the harsh curves of the keys cut into her palms to keep her grounded. 

“No, it—of course not,” Helena says, shaking her head viciously and giving a short, sharp laugh that sounds completely forced. “You probably want to close up. I’m sorry for keeping you.” 

She’s not surprised that Helena is back to being her awkward, avoidant self but it still stings when the woman just brushes past her and makes for the exit, and Dinah is rooted to the spot as she follows Helena with her eyes, watching her run her fingers through her hair at least four times in the small walk from the changing room to the front door. 

It’s the same hand that reaches out to twist open the door only to find it locked. 

Helena sighs deeply and then turns to look at Dinah, conflict swirling in her eyes and Dinah tries to tamp down on the primal need to understand Helena’s inner struggle as she moves closer and slides the key into the lock. 

“For the record—” 

She stops, runs her fingers through her hair again, mussing it up even more and the urge to replace Helena’s hand with her own if only to find out whether the strands are as soft as they look is too strong, so Dinah settles for propping her idle hand against her hip and letting her fingernails dig into her skin. 

“For the record?” 

“It wouldn’t be a waste of time,” Helena says in a rush of words. “Sparring with you. I would love—it would be—just say when.” 

“You’re always just, ready to fight?” Dinah tries to tease and Helena may blush a little but she also gives a little shrug. 

“Yeah.” 

“Okay,” she says with a small smile. “I’ll keep that in mind.” 

“Okay good,” Helena says and Dinah finally unlocks the door, leaving the keys in the lock as she swings it open. “Good night, Dinah.” 

“Good night, Helena,” she says and just before turning away, Helena shoots her a small smile and an awkward sort of wave and Dinah thinks that maybe everything will turn out okay. 

* * *

Inviting Helena to the evening class was a mistake. 

True to what she’d thought, Helena does mellow out again, sticking around after nearly every evening class she joins and laughing with Diana and her friends, lapping up all the compliments about her physique and commitment to spinning and praise regarding her improvement over the time she’s been working out and Dinah feels the jealousy well up more and more inside her each time, her peppermint tea no longer enough to soothe, only serving to scald her tongue as she watches all these tall, gorgeous women throw themselves at Helena. 

Helena’s eyes still always track back to her and Dinah knows she should take that as a positive, that Helena is no longer running away after every spinning class, and she _is_ getting better, has been able to keep up with even the harder sessions and Dinah feels strangely proud of her for it. 

Helena may barely interact with her but she’s always watching Dinah, especially when she thinks Dinah doesn’t notice and every night after it happens, Dinah drives home and takes a very cold shower and tries not to think about Helena’s long, lean body and what it would be like to kiss every inch of pale skin she can get her lips on. 

One night after class, Helena doesn’t immediately follow the Amazons out to get a coffee, lingering by her bike and trying — and failing — to surreptitiously scope out the class until the room is empty. Dinah’s tempted to just leave without approaching her but she’s just a woman with wants and needs and her conviction turns to dust where Helena is concerned so when Helena moves closer and clears her throat, she turns with a smile at the ready and tries to calm traitorous part of her brain that tries to tell her to take advantage of the empty room. 

“Do you have the equipment here?” 

“For what?” 

“To spar.” 

The question makes her pause, but it’s Helena’s dark, intent eyes that send a shiver down her spine. 

She tries to play it off, tries a coy smile as she says, “You really don’t have to.” 

“I’d like to.” 

“Why?” Dinah asks, shifting from one foot to the other and watching as Helena’s eyes follow the movement, gaze lingering on the curve of her hip. 

“Because.” 

Helena is still checking her out so Dinah takes her own fill, eyes roaming over the sharp collarbones jutting out from the loose crop top and down her arms, lingering on the long, dexterous fingers that she’s seen firmly gripping the handlebar of the bike during some particularly hard sessions. 

“We have a huge mat that Hal unrolls when people want to use the yoga room to practice wrestling,” Dinah says, eyes still on those fingers. 

“That works.” 

“For what?” she can’t help but ask and Helena doesn’t answer, just gives Dinah a small grin that makes every nerve ending inside her body come alive with energy. “Did you want to go now, or—?” 

Her voice may be playful but the way they’re looking at each other feels anything but, and Dinah doesn’t want to be the first one to break away. 

Helena shrugs, shakes her head softly. “I thought we might get coffee first.” 

“Don’t want to miss out on the fawning?” 

“What fawning?” Helena asks and when Dinah shoots her a look, she just gets a confused glance thrown her way that proves that Helena really does not realise what is happening whenever the Amazons drape themselves close to her and lightly brush against every bit of Helena they can safely touch without crossing a line. “I just figured you might not want to spar when you’re still working.” 

She doesn’t tell Helena that she’s technically only working when she teaches the class and that the few times she’d stayed late to close up had been voluntary, and more a favour for Hal than anything. 

“Unless it’s not okay for me to stay after hours,” Helena starts to say, eyes going wide but Dinah puts up her hand to stop that spiral before it even has a chance to begin because as much as she has missed seeing a flustered Helena, she feels a little bad about enjoying it. 

“No, no, you’re good,” she says and Helena lets out a huff of relief. 

“Tea?” she offers, gesturing to the door and Dinah smiles at her, gives a quick nod.

“I’ll be right there.” 

Helena’s lips curve up into a satisfied smile as she turns away and Dinah lets out the breath she didn’t know she’d been holding in.

Sparring with Helena. She’s not sure she’s going to make it out of this alive.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> please don't kill me  
> I _promise_ the next chapter has what we're all here for.  
> in the meantime, let me know what you think?


	3. Part Three.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter goes out specifically to Steph, and also Bianca's horny hours playlist. 
> 
> it finally happens folks. rating has been bumped up to E!

“No shoes on the flex mat, please.” 

Helena stops right at the edge of the large, dark blue mat, the tips of her sport shoes an inch shy of it, Dinah’s words spoken right on time. 

She squats down to unlace them and step out of them, almost face plants against the mat when she looks up for a moment and sees Dinah bend in half to take off her own shoes, distracted by the sight and almost losing her balance. 

“Are you sure you want to do this?” Dinah asks as she straightens, hands in her hair to put it up, knowing the locks are going to get in her face and potentially give Helena an upper hand that Dinah has zero intent on relinquishing. “I was just joking.” 

“I do,” Helena says as she finally looks up at Dinah, willing her cheeks to stop burning and grateful for the short curtain of wavy hair that hides the worst of it. She takes the proffered sparring gloves and slips them on, patting at her knuckles to make sure they’re comfortable. “Diana made you sound good.” 

Helena’s eyes never leave Dinah’s, and she can feel the heat of the stare spread out from her chest to the very tips of her fingers and Dinah’s starting to realise that this is a very, very bad idea. 

Where their flirting from before had felt more teasing and light-hearted, now it feels weighted, loaded with intent and Helena’s movements are so precise when she steps onto the mat, Dinah watching her face set in determination and it sends another shock of warmth through her body. 

It’s going to be hard to ignore the flutter of attraction but she knows she can do it, knows that once they start panting and sweating and exchanging blows, her body will take over while her mind quiets. She just has to get to that point. 

“Diana has never sparred with me,” Dinah throws out, continuing the thread of conversation and Helena’s brow furrows slightly. 

“Really?” 

“Why is that so surprising?” 

Helena doesn’t know why, can’t pinpoint it exactly, but there was something in the way Diana’s eyes when she’d mentioned sparring with Dinah that had seemed… teasing, almost. She knows there’s a history of something between Dinah and Diana, had seen the way the two women could communicate with only their eyes and micro-expressions, and sitting between them, trapped, she’d felt like there had been an inside joke there, something she wasn’t privy to, something private and _just for them_. 

“I don’t know,” she says honestly as she stretches her arms over her head, tilting just enough to feel her spine loosen a little bit and Dinah’s eyes trail down the length of her body. 

It’s less ogling and more analysing and Helena is taken back to that very first class when Dinah had looked over her in a very similar way, sizing her up and making some quick calculations and Helena flushes at the memory of Dinah’s hands on her back, and thighs, and hands, and that had been back when she’d just been feeling awkward about getting touched by a stranger. Now she’s going to be grappling with a woman who she very much has feelings for, feelings that wake her up at night in a cold sweat and that nearly make her collapse when she looks at Dinah mid-workout. 

She tries to push the memory away and focus back on Dinah’s studying gaze and there’s something precise about the way she goes about it that makes the question escape her lips before she can stop it. 

“Where did you say you used to fight?” 

Dinah pauses with her hand halfway into one of the gloves, movements slowing as she sticks her fingers through and curls her fingers into a fist while she secures the velcro over her wrist. 

“Just… around. On the street, mostly.” 

Dinah tries not to overthink the question when Helena just hums and takes the opportunity to twist the words with a question of her own. 

“Where did you learn how to fight?” 

“Around…” Helena says and Dinah just rolls her eyes even as a smile tugs at her lips. “My uncles taught me.” 

“Your uncles are fighters?” she asks, just to make conversation as she secures the other hand, tapping her gloved knuckles against each other to get them settled. 

Helena hesitates and that draws Dinah’s attention, head lifting to look at the brunette as her gaze skitters all over the place and Dinah can practically see the cogs turning in her brain, trying to come up with an answer to what she thought was a fairly simple question. 

“Sure,” she finally says with a jerk of the head, an attempt at a nod that makes Dinah smile a little. “Let’s go with that.” 

There’s a story there but Dinah recognises that it’s not the right time to broach the topic, not when they’re moments away from sparring and being in close proximity and touching and breathing hard and working up a sweat. She bookmarks the comment for later, and chooses to go down a different route as she tilts her head sideways to loosen up the muscles in her neck. 

“Any injuries I gotta stay away from?” 

Helena looks relieved at the change in subject, expression lightening for just the hint of a second before her confident mask slides back into place. 

“Nope, you?” 

“You’re free to do whatever, wherever,” she says and if her voice drops a little low, it’s only because this time Helena’s the one dragging heavy eyes down her body. 

“Good.” 

“Good.” 

Helena stands perfectly still as Dinah moves closer, sizing her up as she does, and when Dinah throws a half-hearted jab, Helena immediately blocks it. Dinah tries not to smile and tries a low cross and is blocked again. Helena lets her try for contact a third time, blocking it, and using the momentum to land a blow to Dinah’s middle. Dinah feels the breath leave her lungs and doubles over and before she knows it, Helena has her arm pinned behind her and a leg hooked around one of hers, ready to take her down. 

Dinah pats her arm twice to be released and Helena immediately lets go. 

It’s fun and playful and Dinah barely gives Helena a moment of rest before she tries again, the same moves as before, slightly adjusted, watching Helena’s response to them. She gets blocked on each one and adjusts accordingly, and her fingers barely brush against the soft fabric of Helena’s shirt before she loses her balance, Helena’s foot sweeping her legs out under her and she drops, cheek to mat, Helena barely having to do anything to get Dinah pinned under her. 

She gives a short, breathless little laugh and taps the mat and Helena crawls off her. 

Dinah squirms onto her back and takes a moment to catch her breath before jumping back to her feet and getting right back to it. 

Dinah jabs, Helena blocks. Dinah feints right, twists left, tries a cross, dodged. Jab, dodge, crouch, push, kick, sweep, hook, mat. 

Dinah takes the offered hand up as she tries to calm the racing of her heart and the sound of her pulse rushing in her ears. 

She’s on her feet for barely a second and tries for the element of surprise, rushing at Helena to catch her off guard and lands a clean blow to her midsection before Helena knocks her arm out of the way. 

She tries, Helena sweeps her arm, jabs at her middle and twists her arm. Dinah twists along with it, gets free, back to Helena, tries an elbow throw. Blocked. Leg hook, arm around her middle, lift, mat. 

“Fuck.” 

Helena chuckles at the short exclamation as she uses her forearm to sweep some hair out of her face, standing over Dinah with a small satisfied grin on her face. She figured sparring with Dinah might be fun, but she didn’t expect it to be so damn easy and she’s starting to wonder if Diana had been overhyping Dinah’s skills, trying to reframe Dinah’s protests and attempts to prevent this sparring session from happening. 

“You okay?” 

“Peachy,” Dinah says with a tight smile as she rises, hops from one foot to the other to drag up some adrenaline and twists her neck side to side to crack it. “Let’s go.” 

“We don’t have to.” 

“You goin’ soft?” Dinah says as she lunges forward and Helena easily steps out of the way and lands an easy tap to her middle. 

“Giving you an out,” Helena says with a shrug. 

“Don’t need one.” 

She knocks a knee into Helena’s thigh, dodges a defensive swipe, punches Helena’s side, gets one to her midriff in return. Jab, block. Crossjab, block. Punch, dodge, return, blocked. Uppercut, blocked, double jab returned, dodged. Jab, dodged, jab, hit, lock. Leg hooked, twisted, mat. 

This time Helena follows her down because of Dinah’s grip on her arm and she lands firmly on the woman, hips pressing Dinah into the mat and their faces inches apart, heavy breaths mingling in the space between them and it would be so easy to stay like this and see what Helena does, let the spark of the fight flood into the moment and light the fire between them. 

“Four-zero,” Helena whispers and Dinah shoves her off, eyes flashing with something Helena can’t place as she gets to her feet. 

Helena’s getting smug, but that’s what Dinah had been counting on. 

Helena always lets her move first and Dinah knows it’s because the type of fighting she’d been taught is reactive and defensive, and Dinah fully intends on exploiting that now that she’s collected all she needs to know and has built a tentative profile of Helena’s style. 

She jabs, allows the block, twists, elbows, lets Helena trap an arm around her middle and lets her own arm be pinned between Helena’s arm and body. 

They’re completely flush, Helena’s chest to Dinah’s back and she only takes a moment to savour the feeling before wrestling her arm free, wrapping it around Helena and hopping up, using her downward momentum to lift Helena cleanly over her shoulder and drop her to the mat. 

Helena drops with a surprised “oof” and Dinah tries not to smirk too widely at the sight of her sprawled out on the mat, out of breath and still in shock at the move. 

“You good?” she asks instead, managing to keep the smugness out of her tone and offering Helena a hand up. 

Helena hadn’t expected to be so expertly flipped onto her back and it makes her realise that Dinah’s been holding back, sussing her out and while her natural inclination to do the same had picked up on some of Dinah’s favoured moves, she knows now that the first four rounds had mostly been purposeful reconnaissance and that they hadn’t been sparring at all — Dinah’s just been trying to figure out her moves and she’d just been underestimating the woman and giving all her tricks away. 

It’s confirmed when she blocks one of Dinah’s jabs in the next round, wrist caught between her fingers, and gets a knee to the middle for it that takes away her focus long enough for Dinah to wrench free her hand, take Helena’s arm, and twist it behind her back. 

Helena tries to twist with it but Dinah crouches under her arm, wraps a leg around her thigh and takes her down, Dinah’s back to the mat but holding Helena’s limbs locked in her arms and legs. 

She faintly pats Dinah’s arm and is released and where before Dinah had looked spent and exasperated, now she just looks a little bored, barely out of breath as she claps her hands together to readjust the gloves over her hands. 

Helena nods to indicate she’s ready and Dinah moves in, picking up speed as she tries to land hit after hit, getting blocked each time but increasing her speed and noting when the reaction stops matching her frequency and on an opening she steps back and when Helena tries to move forward to land a hit of her own, Dinah spins and lands a graceful kick to Helena’s middle that sends her straight to the ground. 

“Jesus,” she mutters under her breath but Dinah hears her. 

Helena’s ashamed and a little insulted that she’d gone down so easily, that Dinah hadn’t even deemed it necessary to follow her down and pin her into submission but the roundhouse kick had been so beautifully executed that she can’t stay mad about it. 

Helena’s hair is damp with sweat, curling around her face and sticking to her forehead and Dinah feels a lick of heat travel down her spine when Helena lets out a grunt and pushes it out of her face before pushing herself up with her palms, slow to get off the mat but not seeming injured. 

It’s fun now that she can really get into it and flow with Helena, now that she can let her real skills take over, using her gathered information to exploit Helena’s weak spots. After three straight rounds of taking Helena down, Dinah’s sure the woman is catching on that she’s not as easy as she may have let on, and she knows that Helena, in turn, will be adjusting for her moves, but it’s nothing she’s unused to so when Helena moves in and tries to take out her legs from under her, Dinah dances out of the way and lands a punch to Helena’s middle. 

They continue like that for a while, trading hits and dodging punches and moving around each other, quick flashes of movement followed by a quiet lull and more sparring, back and forth, like a dance. Helena grabs her, taking advantage of her shorter stature and Dinah steps on her toes and elbows her abs and slithers out of the way, attempting to get Helena in a chokehold but failing when Helena turns in time and lands a punch to her thigh. 

Dinah gets some distance between them and they stare each other down for a beat, both trying to catch their breath. Helena’s body seems to hum with movement even though she’s standing still, and Dinah can feel a thin sheen of sweat cling to her skin as she lets her mind go blank. 

Thinking about her next move will give her away, so she doesn’t, and when Helena moves in for a swipe, she feints left. 

Helena doesn’t fall for the trick, but Dinah ends up moving left anyway and it exposes Helena’s side and Dinah lands a sharp kick with the top of her foot right at the pressure point of Helena’s outer thigh. A clean hit that draws a cry from Helena and makes her stumble, so Dinah tries again but this time Helena grabs her foot and holds it, small smirk taking over her features when Dinah growls in annoyance. 

Helena plays dirty then, rakes her nails under Dinah’s foot and the woman curls in on herself, giggles before she can stop it and Helena lifts her foot higher. She expects Dinah to lean backwards to avoid injury and plans use Dinah’s precarious balance to knock her onto her back, but instead, Dinah’s other foot remains firmly planted against the mat while the one in Helena’s hold keeps moving upwards with no strain, belying her flexibility. 

A flash of heat goes through Helena’s eyes and Dinah smirks, a pause in the air as they both take in this new information. 

Dinah blinks and it’s gone, Helena’s impressed little smile twisting a millisecond before she tries to push Dinah back, one leg attempting to sweep out Dinah’s. 

Dinah firms her muscles and refuses to bend and doesn’t go down and with Helena’s failure is an opening, Helena’s body closer to Dinah’s now, within arms’ reach and Dinah takes the chance and shoves firmly at Helena’s shoulders, sending her reeling backwards. 

Helena lets go of her foot to try and remain stable but Dinah uses that same, previously captured leg to sweep Helena’s legs out from under her and when Helena’s back hits the mat with a thud, Dinah is right there on top of her, pinning her body down by locking a leg around Helena’s and holding her wrists crossed over her head with an arm, utilising her full body weight to keep Helena underneath her. 

They’re both out of breath, panting, and Helena tries to wiggle her way out of the hold but Dinah just secures her grip, eyebrow arching in challenge. 

“Really?” she asks and it takes all of Helena’s willpower not to completely melt at the rasp that joins the words. 

“What?” she says, chest rapidly rising and falling. 

“You tickled me?” 

“All’s fair in love and war,” Helena says with a small smile and a challenging set of her jaw, the low husk of her voice sending shivers down Dinah’s spine. 

They’re so close that she can see how dilated Helena’s pupils are, the faint frown lines between her brows, the tip of her tongue as it peeks out to wet full, kissable lips. 

“I’ll keep that in mind.” 

Dinah looks so satisfied with herself, single dimple in her right cheek prominent and eyes dark, her chest heaving and her skin is shiny with sweat and her breaths wash over Helena with each exhale and she feels herself crack. 

Dinah is hot and heavy above her and Helena enjoys the feeling of Dinah straddling her legs a little too much. Her gaze trails down Dinah’s neck, following a bead of sweat as it travels down into the cleavage on display and Helena is so overcome by the need to taste that she doesn’t even try to resist it, lifting her head to swipe her tongue along Dinah’s neck. 

Dinah falters at the touch, grip loosening before Helena has even tapped out and so she yanks her wrist free from the hold, knocks Dinah’s arm away and uses the newfound freedom to properly latch on, mouth closing over the skin of Dinah’s neck, finding the flutter of a rapid pulse and biting down at the spot. 

Dinah tastes like all the desire Helena feels and she can’t get enough, laving attention to the spot and revelling in Dinah’s low, strained moan. 

“Helena…” she murmurs but Helena’s so singularly focused that she doesn’t even hear it. 

A hand winds into her hair and yanks harshly, Helena’s head lolling back against the mats before Dinah’s hot mouth slides over hers, tongue pushing in and not wasting a moment to get her own taste. 

It’s Helena’s turn to moan in response to Dinah plundering her mouth, fingernails sharp against her scalp as she tugs and guides Helena’s head in place. 

Helena isn’t completely lost though because when she feels Dinah’s thighs over her own soften, hips grinding down against her in a sinuous roll, she takes her change and flips them. Dinah makes a surprised sound in her mouth, still keeping them close and never breaking the kiss and somehow managing to pull Helena even closer now that she’s the one with her back to the mat and a rush of thrill shoots down Helena’s spine when Dinah’s legs lift to curl around her, dragging Helena’s hips down into the cradle between her thighs. 

Helena’s hands start exploring, fingers leaving a trail of heat in their wake as she drags them down Dinah’s sides and hips and down her legs, hitching those firm thighs further up her body and Dinah has to break away from her mouth for some much-needed air. 

Her whole body shivers when Helena keeps her lips on her, chest rising and falling dramatically when Helena’s lips drag down Dinah’s neck, down her sternum until that maddening tongue sweeps along the edge of Dinah’s sports bra and then lets her teeth scrape over the swell exposed by fabric. 

Dinah has a sudden need to drag her fingers through Helena’s hair again and guide her along her body, so over Helena’s back, she blindly tries to rip off her sparring gloves, impatiently tugging at the velcro and smiling with satisfaction when she hears the telltale sound of it coming loose, her triumphant little hum catching in her throat when Helena presses an open-mouthed kiss over her chest, right over her nipple and laving attention there through the lightly padded sports bra until she feels it pucker under her attention. 

Helena has been dreaming about the treasure hidden behind Dinah’s sports bra since meeting the woman, always distracted by her chest and lack of workout tops, choosing to go around in just the long pants and sports bras and Helena had felt both blessed and tortured but now, with Dinah writhing under her and a hand tangled in her hair keeping her mouth against her chest, she’s just turning impatient. 

“Off—” Dinah gasps when Helena drags her teeth over her nipple. “Take it off.” 

She doesn’t need to be asked twice and she sits back enough to let Dinah lift her torso to get the tight garment up her ribcage, helping with shaky hands but a sharp tug later has the sports bra over Dinah’s breasts. 

“Oh,” Helena says, brain going completely blank at the sight of pierced nipples. “ _Fuck._ ” 

Dinah scrambles to free her arms while Helena rips the sparring gloves off her hands and by the time Dinah’s back thuds against the mat, Helena is already mouthing at the soft skin of the underside of her breast. Her teeth tug gently and Dinah’s hips jump, body rolling against Helena’s looking for any friction as the brunette laves torturous attention to each part but ignoring her nipple, until Dinah lets out a low whine and Helena rolls a calloused thumb over the nub, does it a second time, around and over again and Dinah’s entire body shudders in response. 

Helena’s lazy touch sends arousal shooting straight to Dinah’s core and just when she thinks she can’t handle more teasing, Helena’s mouth closes over her nipple, tip of her tongue almost leisurely playing with the piercing there. 

Dinah arches into it, trying to get more of anything but Helena just chuckles and keeps idly toying at the metal barbell and Dinah has never hated her piercings more. The low laugh makes her growl and yank Helena closer, face smothered in her chest and she can still feel that tiny, satisfied smirk on Helena’s face but the woman finally gives in, tongue firming over her nipple before sucking it into her mouth and Dinah’s head falls back with a choked cry, nails digging into the back of Helena’s neck. 

Helena laps at her with the same enthusiasm Dinah has seen her use during particularly hard spinning classes, all breathless and red and focus and determination but this time it’s all for _her_ and just the thought is enough to make her feel molten. 

Helena switches to the other breast, mouth scorching and never faltering in her rhythm and Dinah’s entire body jerks with surprise and a low whine rips from the back of her throat when the cool air hits her previously touched nipple, still wet from Helena’s teasing and adding an almost painful level of sensation overload to the mix that has her body trembling. 

There are tiny explosions of heat firing through her veins and her body shakes, seeing stars when Helena’s teeth tug at the barbell again. She’s ridiculously close just from Helena’s mouth on her tits, and Helena seems perfectly content with where she is, the occasional moan slipping from her mouth and shooting vibrations straight down. 

Dinah wraps a hand around the back of Helena’s neck to hold her in place while she feels the heat build in her core, hips rolling against Helena’s body, looking for any friction and finding none and when she whines impatiently, Helena lets out a questioning hum and she feels herself break. 

Her head snaps back and a loud cry falls from her lips as her back bows, arching against Helena and pressing her chest even further into her as she feels wave after wave of pleasure wrack through her body, a stuttered call of Helena’s name slipping free as Helena’s tongue remains firm on her nipple, idle hand reaching up to drag her thumb across and pinch and Dinah trembles as she flops down, the mat cold and uncomfortable against her sweat-slicked back. 

Helena eases up her ministrations, mouth lifting while her fingers slow and Dinah feels a new flash of arousal go through her at Helena’s shit-eating grin. 

“Did you just—?” 

“Yes.” 

She’s so smug, the pull of her lips inviting and where she’d felt weightless a second ago, now she’s all strength as she yanks Helena higher and surges up to kiss her, sighing softly when Helena settles over her and eagerly kisses her back, tongue sweeping into her mouth. 

Dinah’s mouth is like a fire that she can’t get enough of and Helena wonders what the rest of her tastes like, has been wondering what Dinah’s skin would feel like under her lips and she may have gotten a quick taste but that’s just what it was — quick and far too short to sate and she’s so eager to explore more that her hands start moving on their own, fingertips dragging heavily down Dinah’s side and hip, digging into the firm muscle of Dinah’s thigh and drawing a long, low moan from the woman under her. 

Dinah expects Helena to slow their kisses, sit back and help her up so that they can talk about this or maybe continue somewhere that _isn’t_ the yoga room but Helena kisses her like she’s only getting started. 

“I want a taste,” she murmurs against lips, calloused fingertips flirting with the waistband of Dinah’s workout pants and Dinah shudders with anticipation, legs already slipping from Helena’s body to splay open and give her more space, encouraging. 

Still, she can’t help the taunt and the corners of her mouth tug up against Helena’s kisses. “You’ve already had a taste,” she says and Helena breaks away with a sort of half-smile that drives Dinah insane, makes her lift up to follow Helena and kiss her, teeth tugging at her lower lip before soothing the bite with another kiss. 

Helena’s eyes are dark with intent as she looks down at Dinah, breath hot against her skin when she moves away to nip at the spot just below Dinah’s ear. 

“I want more.” 

Helena’s mouth moves along her throat, down her chest, tongue seemingly unable to stay away from her piercings and making Dinah’s hips stutter against the palm gently holding her down. 

The kisses move over her midriff and further down and Dinah loves how toned and tight her body usually is, abs firm and muscles defined but when Helena’s lips press against her skin, she feels liquid. 

“May I?” Helena mumbles with her lips just below Dinah’s belly button and the low timbre of her voice sends another crackle of heat straight to her core. 

“Yes,” Dinah breathes, barely managing to get the word out and when Helena tugs at the elastic band with her teeth, she genuinely believes that this is going to shatter her. “You’re so — _uhhn_ — polite.” 

“It’s how I was raised,” Helena says as she peels the pants off Dinah’s legs along with her underwear and Dinah’s responding laugh is cut off by Helena finally tasting where she wants. 

Dinah lets her eat her out right there in the room that’s meant for meditation, lets Helena tease one orgasm after the other from her body until she has to beg to stop with a weak hand against her head and clenched, quivering thighs. 

She’s teetering a little too close to collapse given that she wants nothing more than to return the favour and when she says as much to Helena, the woman lifts her head with a small grin and wipes her mouth clean with her forearm and Dinah knows she’s ruined, lashes fluttering as she lets out another low moan. 

Helena sits back on her legs, fingertips drawing idle patterns over Dinah’s splayed thighs as she gazes down at her, the heat in her eyes obvious but joined by a sort of adoration that takes Dinah’s breath away. 

Dinah takes the chance to really look at Helena too, and while it’s unfair that she’s the only one naked, Dinah can recognise that it’s mostly because she’d been a little preoccupied falling apart under Helena’s skillful touch. 

“You’re overdressed,” she rasps as she props herself up on one arm and lets the other one reach out to tug at Helena’s sweat-soaked top. 

Helena smiles gently, leaning down to kiss Dinah deeply, unable to stay away from that tempting mouth, fingers cupping her jaw as they kiss but Dinah ends up breaking away to flop back to the floor, soft whine belying her lack of strength to keep herself upright after the mind-blowing orgasms she’d been given and Helena feels a frisson of pride shoot up her spine. 

Dinah follows her every move closely and Helena goes extra slow, just for her, crossing her arms down over her chest, fingers finding the hem of her top and easily flinging it up over her head and tossing it aside, abandoned without a care in the same vein as Dinah’s clothes and their gloves and even as Helena reaches back to unclip her sports bra, Dinah’s eyes are already taking up their fill. 

Helena’s abs tense with the slight effort and not for the first time does Dinah find herself wondering whether they’re as firm as they look, wanting to splay the woman out beneath her and grind down on her middle to see if she can chase that delicious euphoria just from the friction of Helena’s muscles. 

More than anything, she wants to get Helena naked so she can kiss and bite and lick and touch and explore to her heart’s content, the way Helena had, so that she can show Helena just how good she can be, and how good she can make her feel, and the jealous streak in her wants to mark Helena, leave bite marks and kisses and hickeys so that the next time they have coffee after class, the women all know exactly who it is Helena had chosen take to bed and make hers. 

“Does this mean I win?” Helena asks, breaking into Dinah’s thoughts when she flings her bra aside and Dinah barely hears her she’s so focused on the sight of Helena’s dusky pink nipples and the flush that seems to travel from the very tips of her ears down to her chest. 

“What?” 

Helena gestures to the room, the mats, the discarded gloves as she moves closer, crawling over Dinah’s body and settling over her again, capturing Dinah’s lips in a languid kiss. 

“I didn’t tap out,” she murmurs. “I win.” 

Realisation burns through her like wildfire, followed closely by indignation and competitiveness, igniting any reserves of energy Dinah had mistakenly thought she’d already used up and she rips away, eyes narrowing at Helena. “No.” 

“Kinda seems like it.” 

“No way,” she growls lowly. “We’re not done.” 

Dinah’s assertion makes a small, certain grin tug at Helena’s lips and it’s almost a taunt, a smile meant to provoke and Dinah takes the bait, surging up to kiss it away as her fingers curl around Helena’s shoulders and nails dig into her shoulder blades. 

Helena succumbs to the kiss, to the magnetic pull of Dinah’s mouth as Dinah’s hands start roaming over her sensitive skin, sliding under her workout pants and nails digging into the swell of her ass, dragging up along her spine and raking down her rock-solid abs and Helena feels herself tremble, the arm keeping her propped up over Dinah struggling to hold her. 

“I haven’t even gotten started with you,” Dinah says, voice low and threatening and Helena shivers as they work in unison to get her pants off. 

Dinah slides a hand between Helena’s legs, and Helena’s cheeks flush with warmth when Dinah finds her soaking wet, fingers making an obscenely slick sound as they explore. 

“God,” Helena gasps, head dropping, forehead falling against the curve of Dinah’s shoulder as she lets out a ragged breath. “I can’t believe I put in all that work for nothing.” 

“What?” Dinah asks with a laugh, fingers never ceasing their movements and marvelling at Helena’s ability to still string words together in a sentence. 

Dinah sinks two fingers into her, curling them, and Helena feels all control slip from her grasp, teeth closing over Dinah’s collarbone to stifle her groan. 

“I — _oh, fuck, uh_ — I worked so hard to get good at spinning,” she stutters, hips rolling into Dinah’s hand. “For—” Dinah grinds her palm down against her and she sees white spots at the corners of her vision and presses her eyes closed. “Nothing.” 

“I wouldn’t say nothing,” Dinah says with a smile that Helena hears more than sees, and nails rake up Helena’s spine, digging into her skin and sending a whole new wave of heat through her body. 

Dinah maintains a steady, slow pace as the other hand moves higher, curling around the back of Helena’s neck and gently pushing at her body and Helena is so lost to the ecstasy that she doesn’t even object, lets Dinah splay her out beneath her. 

She feels all the pent up tension from the months leading up to this finally threaten to snap her in half, all of Dinah’s grins and flirty smiles and strained, mid-workout voice and tight pants and exposed midriff and long, long fingers and sweaty skin and _inviting_ mouth and Helena doesn’t even feel an ounce of shame that she’s letting Dinah fuck her on the gym’s sparring mat with too much sweat slicking her skin. 

Dinah moves over her, thigh anchoring her hand in place and rolling her hips against her own hand as she keeps her fingers moving in and out of Helena, her teeth raking down Helena’s long, pale neck and biting down at the juncture between her neck and collarbone. 

Helena’s leg twitches and jumps, so Dinah does it again, gently tugging with her teeth and then suckling at the spot. She drags out the tease, her fingers firm but pace slow, and Helena feels so close to climax that she’s ready for it but Dinah doesn’t push any more, just keeps her right at the edge. 

Dinah kisses every inch of her skin she can get her mouth on and smiles at every whine and moan she gets in response, Helena’s needy sounds addictive until the brunette grabs at her hip, fingers digging in. 

“Dinah,” she groans and Dinah won’t ever recover from hearing her name said in that voice. “ _Please._ ” 

Helena almost cries when Dinah moves away from her neck, but then that captivating mouth slides over hers, and Dinah’s fingers pick up their pace, still curling at just the right spot and Helena finally comes, everything around her falling away as she hones in on the feeling of Dinah pressed against her, whispering soft encouragements between kisses as she flutters and quivers, the heat between her legs dulling to a faint throb. 

Dinah doesn’t move away from her immediately, just slips her fingers free and trails that hand up Helena’s side to grip her waist, wetness still coating her fingers, and Helena still feels like a shaky mess but she manages to lift her head and kiss Dinah again, slow and full of intent as their tongues meet. 

“What were you saying before?” Dinah asks after a long while of trading kisses, body curved so deliciously into Helena’s. 

For the life of her, Helena can’t remember what the hell she’d been talking about before, her breaths still coming in short pants as she racks her brain for what she’d said. 

Their bodies start cooling down in the silence, the stickiness of sweat uncomfortable and Helena mourns the loss of Dinah’s body against hers when she moves away but the crisp air on her skin is a welcome relief to her sore body. 

They can’t seem to stay apart for long because when Helena turns her head, Dinah is right there, eyes on her lips so she twists just enough to kiss her softly, lazily, as if they’re somewhere more suited to soft afterglow instead of in the harsh fluorescent lights with a now damp sparring mat beneath them. 

It’s the reminder of the gym they’re in that brings the memories rushing back to Helena’s brain and she breaks away from Dinah with a laugh, the sound bubbling up from her chest. 

Dinah squirms away when it seems like Helena needs space, watching with curious eyes as Helena sits up, her entire body shaking with the force of her laughter. 

“Oh, god,” Helena sobs between her laughs, the sound so infectious that Dinah can’t help but let out a few giggles of herself even though she has no idea what she’s laughing at. 

“You good?” she asks, fingers flitting down Helena’s scratched up back and when Helena twists her neck to face Dinah, it’s as if her laughter grows even louder at the sight of her. 

“I am _never_ gonna be able to take another spinning class.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> that's it folks! let me know what you think in the comments <3


End file.
